in the fight to hold major polluters accountable for

You might be wondering how Macchio and Jackie Chan fit into this story. They are, after all, on the movie poster. But neither is meaningfully in the film until about an hour into it, when they decide they need to help Li prepare for his karate match.in the 2010 remake, and the impressively choreographed fight scenes in this movie are more akin to his previous film — the convergence between Macchio’s karate and Chan’s kung fu is never really fleshed out.

“Karate Kid: Legends” is the first project in the franchise toand does so in a way that feels forced. Once Chan and Macchio are finally on screen, there are a few endearing moments between the pair. But not enough to save the film. The attempt to tell a different story, while laudable, turns the film into a convoluted one, with no real character development or stakes.Part of the problem is that the movie takes itself so seriously, making some of the irreverent humor of “Cobra Kai” unattainable. (One of the best moments of the film is William Zabka’s cameo as Johnny Lawrence in a light-hearted coda.) For the most part, the film struggles tonally, thanks in part to the upbeat music set against a backdrop of violence and trauma.

That’s not to say the previous films haven’t always suffered from trying to do too many things. But there were moments of poignancy in the earlier movies that are absent in this latest installment of the franchise.Despite its sprawling universe, there’s no need to have kept up with it to understand most of what’s going on. But rewatching the first wouldn’t hurt, even if it will make you nostalgic for what’s missing in “Karate Kid: Legends.”

“Karate Kid: Legends,” a Sony Pictures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for martial arts violence and some language. Running time: 94 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

Hordes of horror films line up for Halloween andPalestinians evacuate after the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for several schools and a hospital in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Israel has vowed to facilitate what it refers to as the voluntary migration ofto other countries, which many Palestinians and others view as

Israel wants to “ensure the forced displacement of people from the area” by putting hospitals out of service, said Rami Shurafi, a board member of al-Awda hospital.The Indonesian hospital, once the largest in northern Gaza, has been surrounded by Israeli troops, who were positioned about 500 meters (545 yards) away. Drones have hovered above, monitoring any movement, since Sunday, an aid group that supports the hospital said.